I have been working hard, with my publisher at Rocky Mountain Books, on the manuscript of my next book The Secret Marathon – Empowering Women and Girls in Afghanistan through Sport, and things are, at last, coming together. So, two weeks ago, I took a break and my wife, Sue, and I went on a road trip out to Victoria, B.C., to spend some time with friends in their beautiful new beach house. I made the most of my time away relaxing, doing some trail running, exploring the area and catching up with my reading. Before I left, I looked at the pile of books sitting on my bedside table, trying to select which ones to take with me. I have a wide variety to choose from as I like to read a selection of genres, from business to historical fiction to science fiction and murder mysteries. I decided upon Single and Single by John Le Carre and Michael Connelly’s The Wrong Side of Goodbye. I also took The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, recommended by Sue, who knows what I like to read and will often make suggestions. Talking of recommendations, in the recent July/August edition of The Atlantic magazine, I spotted an intriguing headline: What Book or Article Would You Make Required Reading for Everyone on Earth? I felt this was an interesting question and decided to give it some thought. I began by considering the reason for m my selection. Would it be to impart a particular message? Would it be informative? Would it be because it was a thrilling story? Would it be words of wisdom for a future generation? Might I even choose a picture book for those who do not have the advantage of being able to read? The questions were endless and I could think of books for every answer. In The Atlantic article, the responses were, as one would imagine, very diverse. For example: Carey Cranston, president of the American Writers Museum Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave illustrates the greatest heights and the lowest depths of America’s history and potential, while, better than any other work, showing the power of literacy —that when a person can read and write, he gains the ability to create his own narrative, and to shape his life and the surrounding world. Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is an astoundingly visionary satire published in 1932 that foresaw not just what’s happening today, but where we’re possibly heading next. C. E. Morgan, author of The Sport of Kings The Mindbody Prescription, by John E. Sarno, saved my life. It explores how the subconscious mind can create physical pain as a means of avoiding emotional pain. This mind-body approach has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the psychological origins of many ailments. A vital read for anyone suffering from chronic pain. There were also contributions by readers which included titles as equally diverse, from books by Dr Seuss to the writings of Maya Angelou. So, as the dog days of summer continue, I leave the question with you. Which book, poem, article, short story or other piece of writing would you want everyone to read? The Secret Marathon will be published on Oct. 9. If you would like to pre-order a copy then please go to Amazon.ca: https://amzn.to/2LdPeXu.
© 2018 Martin Parnell
www.martinparnell.com
